Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, today announced its first-ever collaboration with Kathmandu, the well-known New-Zealand born and based outdoor brand.

Kathmandu selected Archroma and its EarthColors range of plant-based dyes to create a new capsule collection of the brand’s signature hoodie.

Archroma’s EarthColors range recently came to public attention for being the Gold Winner of the OutDoor Industry Award 2017, Sustainable Innovations category, where Kathmandu also presented their first hoodies just off of the production line.

Archroma’s EarthColors is a line of patented plant-based dyes, sourced from up to 100 percent renewable resources.

Archroma developed EarthColors using non-edible waste products, from agriculture and herbal industries, to replace petroleum derived raw materials; which are the conventional raw materials used to synthesize dyes currently. This gives brands an alternative when looking for more natural ways of dyeing garments.

Archroma and Kathmandu teamed up to create an exclusive “vintage casual” look.

The colors available in the capsule collection: slate blue, burnt olive and burlwood rose, are made from the non-edible parts of nutshells, almond shells, rosemary, saw palmetto, bitter orange and beetroot, left over from agriculture industry or herbal extraction.

“We are very proud and grateful that Kathmandu selected Archroma’s EarthColors for their first incursion into the world of nature-based colors,” comments Paul Cowell, Head of Brand Marketing in Archroma’s Brand & Performance Textile Specialties business. “Kathmandu will surely inspire other brands and retailers to explore and adopt eco-advanced innovations. With the help of Kathmandu, Archroma is again showing the apparel industry the way to go, one collection at a time. Because it’s our nature!”

“We have been using recycled materials for over 20 years and we are constantly looking for new technologies to develop more sustainable outdoor gear, adds Manu Rastogi, Textile R&D and Responsible Materials Manager for Kathmandu. “Dyeing techniques using plants have been around for centuries, but they require adding huge amounts of mordants* and fixatives**, which could lead to water pollution.They also tend to have poor light and wash fastness which is undesirable for the consumer and does not promote article longevity. So when we heard about Archroma’s EarthColors, we were immediately excited by what is probably the first technology allowing colors to be synthesized from plants rather than petroleum while keeping similar performance.”

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Notes For Editors

Archroma is a global color and specialty chemicals company headquartered in Reinach near Basel, Switzerland. It operates with 3,000 employees over 35 countries and with 25 production sites. Its three businesses – Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, Packaging & Paper Specialties, and Coatings, Adhesives & Sealants – deliver specialized performance and color solutions to meet customers’ needs in their local markets, touching and coloring people’s lives every day, everywhere.

Archroma is passionate about delivering leading and innovative solutions, enhancing people’s lives and respecting the planet. The company is committed to challenging the status quo in the deep belief that it can make its industry sustainable; an approach reflected in its innovations, world-class quality standards, high service levels and cost-efficiency. Products enhanced, colors enhanced, performance enhanced – “Life enhanced”.

Born from a desire to make outdoor adventure more comfortable and accessible to everyone, the Kathmandu journey originated in New Zealand and the first retail store was opened in Melbourne’s Hardware Lane in 1987. Kathmandu now has over 160 stores across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.